Chapter 25: Remember to Write Your Reflections

"Minister Jian, Minister Xia, and fellow colleagues, what do you think?"

The high-ranking officials looked as if they had swallowed fly excrement. There was no such thing as bullying people like this. These individuals, who stood at the very pinnacle of the power structure, were spending their first decadal meeting not on official business, but on watching people get their heads chopped off.

It was utterly absurd.

Under no circumstances could they agree to this; otherwise, where would their dignity and refinement go?

Jian Yi looked at his colleagues and sighed up at the heavens.

"The case of Ru Chang is a result of the slackening of discipline and the indulgence of civil and military officials in vice. As we assist His Majesty in purging the corrupt policies of the Jianwen era, we should take this as a warning. Administrator Xu leading us to witness the end of corrupt officials is truly a painstaking effort to awaken our hearts. Let us go with him."

Having said this, Jian Yi stood up and smiled. "Administrator Xu, do you have any other instructions?"

Xu Jingchang blinked and smiled. "Nothing else, let’s just change into civilian clothes so as not to alarm the common people."

Jian Yi nodded in agreement.

The remaining ministers were still hesitant, but Xia Yuanji smiled, "Stop pulling such long faces. Let's all go, let's go."

The fact that these two men could win the appreciation of Zhu Di and hold charge of personnel and finance was truly a testament to their exceptional qualities.

Among everyone, the most excited was Wu Shan. His Lord was truly too good to him. Let’s see who would dare to look down on the people from the Office of Transmission from now on!

What they were doing was even more satisfying than being promoted three grades in a row.

It felt wonderful!

With the high officials of the imperial court all moving out toward the execution grounds, even though they were dressed in civilian clothes, it was impossible to do so without causing a stir.

Zhu Di, in particular, was having second thoughts. He had accepted Yao Guangxiao's suggestion to let Xu Jingchang lead the decadal meeting, but to be honest, Zhu Di was not entirely sure. After all, this kid was too young.

State affairs were not a joke, especially at such a juncture of transition between the old and the new. Therefore, Zhu Di had arranged for Xie Jin to observe the meeting.

However, just as he arrived, Xu Jingchang had already led everyone away. After finding out where they had gone, Xie Jin was also left dumbfounded and had to rush back to the palace.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Administrator Xu has invited the Six Ministries and the Nine Ministers to the execution ground to observe the sentencing."

"What? To watch a beheading? What is he trying to do?" Zhu Di pressed.

Xie Jin replied, "I asked him, and it is said that Administrator Xu stated, 'Only by never forgetting one's original intention can one achieve a successful end.'"

Zhu Di was stunned. He looked at Yao Guangxiao beside him, only to find the old monk beaming with joy, unable to contain his laughter.

"Wonderful, truly wonderful! Looking at the entire court, only Administrator Xu could pull off such a thing. Your Majesty, do you still have doubts?"

Zhu Di pondered for a moment and nodded vigorously. "Good! It is indeed good! Jianwen corrupted the national statutes and the laws were lax. I shall start by reorganizing the officials and restoring the glorious era of the Hongwu Emperor."

Although Zhu Di said this, he had another reasoning in his heart: the usurpation of power during the Jingnan Campaign had led many scholar-officials to look down upon him, and the issue of the Yongle reign title was a thorn in his side.

Zhu Di had thought about promoting his own people, but bestowing favors alone was not enough; he needed to establish authority. And this move by Xu Jingchang was the best way to establish that authority.

"Lad, I didn't misjudge you!"

Zhu Di called Xie Jin over again. "Go to the execution ground now. See how Xu Jingchang has arranged things, what he says, and what the court officials say, then come back and tell me."

The great scholar had become an errand boy, but Xie Jin was more than happy to do it. The matter was too interesting, and such a good show was not to be missed.

At this moment, Xu Jingchang had brought everyone to the execution ground. The person in charge of supervising the execution today was no ordinary figure, but the Duke of Cheng, Zhu Neng.

This level of protocol was terrifying enough.

Xu Jingchang looked at the Minister of Justice, Zheng Ci, and then at the Censor-in-Chief, Chen Ying.

"How was this case handled, and what specific crimes were determined? Tell me."

Zheng Ci's face flushed red, feeling somewhat embarrassed. "The charge is the embezzlement of state funds and people's property, amounting to millions."

At this time, the Minister of Rites, Song Li, muttered, "Is it too much to charge them for mere embezzlement?"

His voice was not loud, but Xu Jingchang heard it clearly. "The Founding Emperor established the rule that embezzlement of sixty taels would result in being skinned and stuffed with straw. Surely the Ministry of Rites cannot be unaware of this?"

Song Li hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to speak.

Chen Ying, however, was beaming with joy and immediately said, "Administrator Xu is a clear mirror. This subordinate has sealed the Ministry of Works. After verification, in the past four years, the shortfall amounts to as much as five million taels in silver. Most abhorrently, when the Ministry of Works was building the Xiaoling Mausoleum, they dared to cut corners. It is simply insane!"

Hearing Chen Ying say this, everyone felt a chill.

Good heavens, even the Old Emperor's mausoleum was not spared. Zhu Yunwen really was a "filial" grandson.

Xu Jingchang also knew that to say these ministers diverted the paving stones from the main street to build a road to the Qinhuai River was simply too outrageous to be true.

This matter could only serve as a breakthrough point. As expected, upon investigation, the Ministry of Works was definitely a disaster zone for embezzlement.

It was also because the officials had been suppressed for the thirty years of the Old Emperor's reign. Once a "bullyable" emperor arrived, they engaged in massive corruption for large projects and petty corruption for small ones.

One official from the Ministry of Works had actually spent one hundred thousand strings of paper money to buy a courtesan from the Qinhuai.

With someone taking the lead, officials flocked to the Qinhuai to visit prostitutes and indulge themselves, considering it a refined and elegant pastime.

Who exactly diverted the paving stones to build the road was no longer verifiable. But there was no doubt that the officials had been particularly diligent in building the road to the Qinhuai, fearing that any potholes would affect the lords' pleasure.

Court affairs could be handled carelessly, but when it came to such private matters, if anything went wrong, they would surely face retaliation.

The people present were all experts, and after hearing this, they understood immediately. The people of the Ministry of Works did not deserve any sympathy for meeting such an end.

"What about the Ministry of War? What did they do?" Xu Jingchang asked curiously.

Chen Ying continued, "The main problem with the Ministry of War is the embezzlement of military provisions."

"Military provisions? Is the quantity large?"

"Very large. At least over three million shi. Additionally, several large granaries from the Hongwu era are all empty; the grain inside has been stolen and sold."

Xu Jingchang was stunned, and then he understood. Perhaps they should even thank these rats; without them digging away at the foundation with all their might, Zhu Di would never have been able to succeed in the Jingnan Campaign so smoothly.

But now that Zhu Di was the emperor, he could not use these giant pests under any circumstances.

Xu Jingchang checked the time; it was not far from noon. He walked to the window.

"Everyone has come; we shall witness with our own eyes these dozens of corrupt officials bleeding on the spot and being beheaded."

The others had no choice but to walk over.

However, an anomaly occurred at the execution ground. Ru Chang had been struck by Zhu Di and was already half-dead; the interrogations over the past few days had completely broken him. But the Minister of Works, Huang Fu, still had a breath left. Seeing that his death was imminent, he no longer cared about anything.

"Injustice! I am wronged! Everything I did was to help the Son of Heaven succeed in the Jingnan Campaign. I am a meritorious official! His Majesty cannot kill the donkey after the grinding is done!"

"I want to see His Majesty! I have a grievance!"

The man howled heart-rendingly, and several other condemned officials followed suit.

Zhu Neng frowned deeply. These people had embezzled so much money, how could they still have the face to cry "injustice"?

"Guards, gag them!"

Just then, a person suddenly ran over.

"Duke of Cheng, I am Wu Shan, Assistant Secretary of the Office of Transmission. By order of the Administrator, I am here to deliver something."

Zhu Neng was startled.

Wu Shan held the book in his hand high and said in a loud voice, "This is the 'Great Pronouncements' of the Founding Emperor! By the command of the Founding Emperor, corrupt officials shall be executed. If any of you still feel wronged, go and tell the Founding Emperor yourself!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Fu and the others suddenly collapsed, looking like mice seeing a cat.

Those few volumes of the "Great Pronouncements" seemed to possess incomparable power.

The Founding Emperor, the man who single-handedly established the Great Ming Dynasty, had only left four years ago. His iron-fisted crackdown on corruption, which often left rivers of blood, still cast a massive shadow over people's hearts.

The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Works were merely two ministries. Back then, Zhu Yuanzhang had executed all officials below the rank of Vice Minister in the Six Ministries in one go. Compared to that, this could only be considered a gentle, light drizzle.

All the condemned officials finally fell silent, hanging their heads and waiting for death.

And the common people watching from the outside, with someone taking the lead, suddenly knelt on the ground.

"Long live the Emperor!"

The thunderous sound of the people's cheers reached the upper floor clearly, making the expressions of the Six Ministries and the Nine Ministers rather unpleasant.

Xu Jingchang said calmly, "Gentlemen, the rights and wrongs, and the will of the people, I think are already very clear. I would like you to write down your reflections on today's events and submit them to His Majesty. This can be considered your guiding principle for doing things in the future. How about that?"

Not only were they to watch, but they also had to write a reflection.

Xu Jingchang was treating them like students...